Travel

It is a common fact that Chinese zodiac signs include of animal symbol. These are firmly attached to Chinese culture for ages. Learn how these symbols come to light during New Year celebrations.

Culturally these zodiac animals hold a place of prominence in Chinese society as they feel that the zodiac signs are scientific in nature. As far as their origin is concerned they are all legendary and have little to do with science. But the Chinese philosophers have put forward the thought that these zodiac animals have much in common with human nature, is something which mystifies a lot of people.

The Chinese used to follow a intricate calendar system prior to adopting the zodiac symbols to represent the 12 cycles. The initial system was too difficult for the masses to understand and was hence replaced by the system that gives us the 12 animals in their cyclic order.

The Chinese have a system of repeating the animal zodiac symbols every twelve year. Each year is ascribed one animal which reappears after twelve year. The people born under the sign of a particular animal are supposed to have traits belonging to the same animal. Only problem is that the thinkers who put forward this thought may not have realized the true qualities of the animal or its comparison to human behavior.

The animal of the year is a major feature in the New Year celebrations. There will be many activities centered on the animal of the year. Puppets in parades and other forms of live entertainment will often represent the animal so as to make it clear that this year is the year of the ox for example.

You will also be able to find a wide range of decoration objects taking up the animal of the year as the main subject. Such art work is widely available in every store and even on stalls on the streets. Many people wear the animal of the year on their T-shirts that feature the animal in some form of artistic expression. Similarly there are many other fashion accessories that revolve around the animal of the year and are very popular during the Chinese New Year season.

As New Year sees an influx of tourists in China the animal concept of the zodiac year has become the main topic of promotion during the New Year season. The foreigners show lot of interest in the whole theory of the animal symbolism and want to acquire more information about the basis of the concept. They are also interested in knowing the year of which animal they belong to and whether their personality matches the characteristic of that particular animal.

The zodiac animal symbols are essentially a source of entertainment for the westerners. Even in China nowadays no one has much faith in the parallel drawn between human behavior and animal characteristics with too much seriousness except the people who are orthodox and follow the ancient traditions strictly. Chinese give importance to the animal symbolism only to carry on with the ancient tradition and provide entertainment to people.

The mythical nature of the animal zodiac symbol becomes clearer when you come to know the foundation of the theory of twelve animals. They are totally made up stories which gained popularity in China for ages and have been in practice for centuries to have become part and parcel of Chinese culture.

Chinese new year astrology is used to predict many things in a person’s life. If you would like to learn about the signs in detail, including the Chinese new year dragons, please follow the hyperlinks.

categories: astrology,spirituality,religion,zodiac,china,chinese,family,culture,society,travel,house

The Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA), located right in the heart of Glasgow’s city centre, is an ideal place to start whilst visiting the city. It is one of the most popular contemporary art galleries in the whole of the UK, and you will not be disappointed by spending an hour or two taking in the magnificent exhibits displayed there.

The city centre is also home to some extraordinary architecture, with a range of period styles all to be found in close proximity to each other. Some of the best is by the famous artist / architect Charles Rennie MacIntosh, whose elegant Willow Tea Rooms and Scotland Street School Museum should not be missed.

The Provands Lordship is another building, again in the city centre, that it is worth finding the time to visit. Dating back to the 1400s, this is the oldest building in the whole of Glasgow, and the beautiful medicinal garden at the back of it is an ideal spot to sit and relax for half an hour.

Those with a keen interest in history might like to take in the exhibitions on Glasgow’s social history (dating back to 1790) that can be found at the People’s Palace and Winter Gardens. After finding out how Glasgow and its people have changed over the years, you can then have some coffee and cake in the adjoined Victorian Glasshouse which looks out onto a park.

Now that you have seen the City Centre, you should head out to the west end of the city. For those of you who enjoy a good walk, take the Kelvin Way to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, home to Salvador Dali’s painting Christ of St John of the Cross.

Just across the road from the Museum you will find an excellent destination in the Glasgow Museum of Transport. As soon as you enter this building you are transported to times of old, showcasing everything from a hundred year old Glasgow tram to the finest collection of Scottish-Built cars in the world.

Now, lets move to the south side of Glasgow, where you can see Charles Rennie MacIntosh’s ‘House For An Art Lover’. Charles, and wife Margaret MacDonald, entered their design for a house for an art lover into the competition in 1901 and it was eventually built in 1996, an inspiration for hundreds of contemporary artists.

Glasgow is known as the ‘Dear Green Place’ and that is no accident. Pollok Country Park is just 5km form the city centre. Wander round its woodland walks, take a look at the old Stable courtyard and sawmill and browse the Burrell Collection, which includes just about anything from medieval trinkets to impressionist works by Cezanne and Degas.

Cheap Hotel Chains’ price compares all the latest cheap hotel deals across the world, ensuring that you find the very best deal for your chosen hotel and destination. This month they are running a feature on Glasgow, the cosmopolitan capital of Scotland. They currently have 142 cheap hotels in Glasgow featured on their website.

categories: glasgow,scotland,uk,destinations,tourism,travel,culture

Sitting silently beside the glitzy and glamorous Beijing hotels are the city’s living quarters of the past: the Hutongs and Siheyuans. So what are hutongs? They are alleys formed by lines of siheyuans or traditional courtyard residences. Many neighborhoods were made by connecting one siheyuan to another and one hutong to another.

The term “hutong,” meaning “water wells,” was first used during the Yuan Dynasty, which is believed to be of Mongol origin.

Under the Ming dynasty, the Forbidden City was the city’s center from which concentric rings were built on. Wealthier citizens had bigger, orderly and more beautiful hutongs. Their status afforded them a nearer address to the center. Oppositely, merchants, artisans, commoners and laborers lived farther from the circle. Thus, they had minor hutongs. The hutong was considered to be the simplest level of administrative division in China, compared to that of villages in some countries.

To add to one’s interest, each hutong has its own name. These range from places to plants, such as Liushu (willow) Hutong, directions, markets, temples, and even words having positive attributes, like Xiqing (happy) Hutong. Even though you still haven’t visited these places, their names alone are enough to make you smile.

Significant changes happened in the 20th century, especially when China’s dynastic era ended. The arrangement of the hutongs was affected because many new ones were built haphazardly. The old ones lost their former glory, while dozens sprouted in the outskirts of the city.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the old hutongs were destroyed and were replaced with more spacious highways and tall structures, some of which are well-known hotels in Beijing. This left no choice for generations of families and had to leave their hutongs in search for newer residences.

Luckily, a number of Beijing’s ancient hutongs can presently be found, some of them have been made as protected areas. These older neighborhoods provide the modern man a glimpse of how life once was in this rustic yet charming capital. Tourists who stay in nearby Beijing hotels can explore the wonders of these small communities through pedicabs.

Contrary to the extravagant court life of the elite and the sophistication of the Summer Palace and the Forbidden City, the hutongs reveal the culture of common Beijingers. Many people still consider the hutongs the heart of the city. From the windows inside their Beijing hotels, tourists can marvel on how the hutongs reflect the dreams and desires of the historical Chinese who had never thought that someday, they can even soar higher and reach their full potentials.

E. Larson is a long-time expatriate in Beijing, China. He works closely with the Guohong Beijing Hotel and many other hotels in Beijing. Learn even more about the Guohong Beijing Hotel here.

categories: hotels,beijing,hutongs,travel,tour,vacation,asia,history,culture

Beijing, China’s vibrant cosmopolitan and ancient capital has been home to some of the world’s many wonders. You may have already heard of the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, but there are still more places to see and things to do when you’re in town. What’s more promising is that Beijing hotels are located within considerable walking and driving distances, making them more accessible to locals and tourists alike.

Under the imperial rule, the emperor, his family and subordinates lived inside the Forbidden City. This was where the emperors disposed their duties as the ‘Sons of Heaven,’ where they were subjected to many pressures of their tasks. To calm themselves from the magnanimous jobs they were facing, the emperors built the Summer Palace.

Accurately called the ‘Gardens of Nurtured Harmony,’ the site is generally dominated by the Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill. It covers an area of 2.9 square kilometers, three-fourths of which are water. You can find a variety of palaces, gardens, and other classical-style architectural structures in the Palace itself. Transportation to this place is never a problem since Beijing hotels will take care of these for you.

An important part of the complex is the Kunming Lake which was created by extending a present body of water to imitate the West Lake in Hangzhou. To build Longevity Hill, the excavated soil from the lake was used.

When emperor Wnyn Ling moved his capital to the Beijing area, he built a Gold Mountain Palace on the site of the hill. It was renamed from Gold Mountain to Jug Hill (Weng Shan) during the Yuan Dynasty. Finally, the Qianlong emperor of the Qing Dynasty gave the hill its present name.

Standing about 60 meters high, the hill holds many structures that are sequentially positioned to each other. Halls and ornate buildings filled the northern side while the natural scenery was preserved at the back.

The Cloud-Dispelling Hall, the Temple of Buddhist Virtue, and the Sea of Wisdom Temple, all having religious and cultural significance, are some of the notable buildings in the hill’s northern side.

In 1998, The Summer Palace was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since it is “a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design,” it not only serves as a tourist destination at present but also as a recreational park.

Getting to this favorable destination is made less of a hassle since Beijing hotels are always ready to assist you in this journey. Whether you are to experience the homey rooms of the wonderful hotels in Beijing or marvel at the splendid quarters in the Summer Palace, you will definitely find this city worth remembering!

Author E. Larson is a long-time resident of Beijing, China. He works closely with the Redwall Beijing Hotel and other beijing hotels. Check out his website about the Redwall Beijing Hotel here.

categories: hotels,beijing,china,travel,vacation,summer palace,asia,culture

Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to create a memorable evening. Valentine’s flowers and a romantic dinner in a unique setting will set the mood. You might take in a show, or do a little dancing, maybe take a walk on a moonlit beach. Then follow your heart. It will be an evening they remember for years. Here is a great selection of Tampa’s best romantic restaurants.

A romantic Valentines dinner requires elegance and intimacy from a restaurant. Capital Grille accomplishes those requirements effortlessly. Rich dark paneling, plush leather and intimate lighting fit the bill beautifully. When you add exceptional cuisine to the mix, the Capital Grille is a winner. This high-end chain is renowned for dry-aged steaks, fresh seafood, a first class wine list and impeccable service. Consider the Capital Grill, part of the International Mall near Westshore Boulevard in Tampa, this Valentine’s Day.

If you wanted to create a blueprint for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner, what would you include? You might start with authentic Northern Italian cuisine, and add in a spectacular view of Tampa Bay. Cocktails on the outdoor patio would be a definite plus as would a signature antipasto bar. The only possible improvement would be a decadent dessert. This is a formula unique to Armanis. Located on the 14th floor of Tampa Bay’s Grand Hyatt Hotel, Armani’s should be high on your list of potential romantic restaurants.

SideBerns is a progressive offshoot of the legendary Bern’s Steak House. And it’s a perfect choice for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. The menu celebrates fresh Mediterranean cuisine and gives it a cosmopolitan twist. The flavors of France, Italy, Spain and North Africa merge with seasonal influences to create a spectacular menu. Sideberns is located on Morrison just off Howard Ave, not far from the original Bern’s Steak House.

Not many cities can claim a revolving rooftop restaurant. Tampa can. CK’s The View, located at the top of the Tampa Airport Mariott, offers an ever-changing and panoramic view of Tampa Bay. This contemporary seafood restaurant offers a unique and memorable romantic dining experience. Live contemporary jazz, outstanding cocktails, certified Angus steaks, a sushi chef and superb service are just of the few reasons CK’s should be considered for your Valentine’s Day dinner.

Another top Tampa restaurant offering a scenic view is the Rusty Pelican. Set on its own pier and located off the Courtney Campbell Causeway in the Rocky Point District, this restaurant offers an outstanding view of Old Tampa Bay. It also offers one feature few others can – fireplaces. Not one, but four fireplaces. Tampa can be chilly around Valentine’s Day. How romantic is that? The outstanding menu includes steaks and fresh seafood. This casual yet elegant restaurant is perfect for that special Valentine’s Day dinner.

Tampa offers wide variety of options after a romantic dinner. You could take in a show, or do a little dancing. You might cap the night off with cocktails in a luxurious lounge. Or perhaps you’d like a romantic moonlight walk on the beach. Whatever your tastes, Tampa offers everything you need to make the special night truly memorable. Don’t forget to make reservations early and don’t forget the Valentine’s flowers.

Remember the Valentine flowers. Tampa is the heart of our delivery area. A-Bow-K Florist and Gifts has been a family owned Tampa florist for 25 successful years. Don’t forget to order early.

categories: romance,relationships,culture,society,valentines day,holidays,society,restaurants,Tampa,Florida